FitSugar

Food Review: Amy's Santa Fe Enchilada

FitSugar — Fri, 02 May 2008 10:00:00 -0700

You know I'm a huge fan of the healthy and organic foods made by Amy's Kitchen. The ingredients are like the ones I would use if I had time to cook. Since I love Mexican food, and loved her Cheddar Cheese Burrito, I decided to give her Santa Fe Enchilada bowl a try. It's made with layered corn tortillas, rice, tofu, veggies, Jack cheese, and beans. Does it taste as good as it sounds? To find out read more.

Serving Size	1 bowl
Calories	130
Total Fat	11g
Saturated Fat	2g
Cholesterol	5mg
Sodium	780mg
Carbs	47g
Fiber	9g
Sugar	5g
Protein	16g

I know this doesn't look very appetizing or anything like the gorgeous photo, but looks can be deceiving. I actually really loved this meal. I liked that it wasn't your typical rolled up enchilada, but that it was more like a layered lasagna, so it was easy to eat with a fork. It was really flavorful, spicy, but not burn-your-tongue spicy. The beans, rice, and crumbled up tofu made this meal really filling. The soft texture makes this enchilada a great addition to my list of comfort foods. I like that it's not too high in calories or saturated fat, and it's also high in fiber and protein, thanks to the veggies and beans. The sodium content is a little on the high side, but still doable considering the RDI is 2,300 mg a day. I would definitely pick this enchilada bowl up again. For under $5, it makes a quick, tasty, and healthy meal.

Any other Amy's fans out there? If you have tried the enchiladas, tell me what you thought in the comments section below.

Food Review: Amy's Cheddar Cheese Burrito

FitSugar — Mon, 01 Oct 2007 03:30:00 -0700

If you don't know by now, I'm a huge fan of foods from Amy's Kitchen. I love her Vegetable Lasagna and Stuffed Pasta Shells, and her canned Vegetable Barley Soup is really tasty and filling.

Sugar users juju and james bond girl suggested I try Amy's burritos. You can find them in the freezer section of most health food stores. They weren't too expensive - about $3 or 4 each - and they have a few varieties such as Bean & Cheese (I tried this one), Bean & Rice, Black Bean Vegetable, Breakfast (with tofu and potatoes), Indian Spinach Tofu Wrap, and Southwestern (with jalapeño peppers and black olives).

Want to know what I thought of Amy's Bean & Cheese Burrito? Then read more

Serving Size	1 burrito
Calories	300
Total Fat	9g
Saturated Fat	2.5g
Cholesterol	10mg
Sodium	580mg
Carbs	43g
Fiber	6g
Sugar	1g
Protein	11g

This burrito was the perfect size, and it was very tasty - not very spicy, with just enough seasoning. The pinto beans and cheese were mixed to create a soft and creamy consistency. When I looked inside, I could still see whole pinto beans, which is always a good thing.

The whole wheat flour tortilla was wrapped tightly enough and never once unraveled, so I didn't have to worry about it becoming a huge explosive mess as burritos often tend to be. I also liked that after taking this burrito out of the freezer, it only took 2 1/2 minutes in the microwave to warm up.

Amy's burritos definitely get a thumbs up from me. With 11g of protein and 6g of fiber, they're a great option when you need a quick meal.

Amy's Kitchen: Country Cheddar Bowl

FitSugar — Fri, 02 Nov 2007 15:30:00 -0700

This Country Cheddar Bowl is my new favorite frozen entrée from Amy's Kitchen. It's in her line of Bowls (just like the Stuffed Pasta Shells), and this one is called Country Cheddar.

I would say it is a mature version of mac and cheese. The delicious cheesy sauce envelops the spiral noodles and healthy veggies – broccoli florets, carrots, red peppers, and potatoes. For added protein pieces of perfectly textured baked tofu have been added to the "bowl." The cheddar bowl meal is deliciously flavored, and the best part is that all the ingredients are organic.

The picture on the box looks great, but does it really look like that when you cook it? To find out read more

Serving Size	1 bowl
Calories	400
Total Fat	19g
Saturated Fat	6g
Cholesterol	20mg
Sodium	690mg
Carbs	41g
Fiber	4g
Sugar	3g
Protein	15g

On the looks front, the bowl looks close enough to the image on the box. I really liked the cheesy taste and all the veggies were cooked perfectly, and not at all mushy. This meal has only 400 calories and it was super filling. Plus I love that it has 14g of protein and 4g of fiber (although I thought it would have more than that). The sodium is a tad high, but not too bad considering you can have around 2,300mg a day.

I'm sure some of you will think it has a lot of fat, but look at the saturated fat. It only has 6g, and since the recommended amount per day is around 20g, it doesn't sound so bad. For a quick, delicious, organic, and healthy meal, I'd definitely give this Country Cheddar Bowl a try.

Straight From Amy's Kitchen: Stuffed Pasta Shells

FitSugar — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 10:15:00 -0700

Skipping meals is a bad idea in general, so in those rushed times you often have to reach for a frozen entrée. This is why I like to stock up on healthy frozen meals by Amy's Kitchen. I loved the Vegetable Lasagna, so I decided to give her Stuffed Pasta Shells a try. They're made with whole grains, real vegetables, and no artificial ingredients, so I feel good about eating them.

The shells were even tastier than the lasagna. The pasta was tender - not too firm and not at all mushy. The tomato sauce was very flavorful and abundant (don't you hate when they skimp on the sauce?). The best part was the cheese filling inside. It was so creamy and perfectly blended with broccoli and spinach to give it a wonderful texture and flavor and nutrients.

Since it tasted so rich, I was afraid to take a look at the nutritional info. Want to see what I found? Then read more


Calories	310	310
Total Fat	13g	12g
Saturated Fat	7g	4.5g
Cholesterol	30mg	20mg
Sodium	740mg	680mg
Carbs	30g	35g
Fiber	5g	5g
Sugar	7g	5g
Protein	19g	16g
Vitamin A	40%	50%
Calcium	40%	25%

Well that isn't so bad. Only 310 calories and those 3 stuffed shells were really filling. While 740 mg of sodium sounds pretty high, when you consider the RDI of sodium is 2,300 mg a day, the amount of sodium seems reasonable.

Here's another tempting photo.

Here's a close-up of the creamy cheesiness.

Now, doesn't that look tasty?

Lentil Vegetable Soup: Trader Joe's vs. Amy's Kitchen

FitSugar — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 07:30:00 -0800

You know I'm a huge fan of anything from Amy's Kitchen, but I also love products from Trader Joe's since many of them are organic and all natural.

Both companies make a Lentil Vegetable Soup. Want to see how they compare? Then read more

As you can see, these soups look very similar. Amy's had a few more green beans and the one from Trader Joe's had a few more potatoes. As for taste, Amy's was a little bit more herb-y, and Trader Joe's had a slightly sweet tomatoe-y flavor. Honestly though, they tasted so much alike that it was difficult to tell the difference.

Serving Size	Can of Trader Joe's (410g)	Can of Amy's (445g)
Calories	260	300
Total Fat	7g	8g
Saturated Fat	1g	1g
Cholesterol	0mg	0mg
Sodium	1160mg	1360mg
Carbs	38g	46g
Fiber	10g	12g
Sugar	8g	10g
Protein	12g	14g
Ingredients	Filtered water, organic onions, organic lentils, organic carrots, organic celery, organic potatoes, organic tomatoes, organic spinach, organic green beans, organic extra virgin olive oil, sea salt, organic garlic, organic balsamic vinegar, organic spices.	Filtered water, organic onions, organic lentils, organic carrots, organic celery, organic potatoes, organic tomatoes, organic spinach, organic green beans, organic extra virgin olive oil, sea salt, organic garlic, organic balsamic vinegar, spices.

Nutritionally speaking, these are both pretty much the same. I showed you the info for the entire can of soup, since most people probably won't just eat half the can. Amy's seems to have more of everything since there's a little bit more soup in one of her cans as compared to Trader Joe's. The ingredients are practically mirror images of one another (weird, huh?), except Trader Joe's is made with organic spices and Amy's isn't. They're also both a little high in sodium, as canned soups tend to be, but they're high in fiber and protein, which is a plus in my book. I go with Trader Joe's soup because it is less expensive.

If you have the time, why not make your own lentil soup. Here's a recipe for my new favorite soup: Lentil Tomato.

Amy's Kitchen: Bowl Breakdown

FitSugar — Tue, 19 May 2009 06:00:00 -0700

Who doesn't need a quick meal every once in a while? For that reason, I always keep a few of these bowls in the freezer from Amy's Kitchen. Many of them are vegan or lactose free, some are gluten free or soy free, and some are light in sodium. They're made with whole grains and vegetables and are full of flavor.

To see how they compare nutritionally read more.

1 bowl	Calories	Total Fat (g)	Sodium (mg)	Carbs (g)	Fiber (g)	Protein (g)
Baked Ziti	300	12	590	62	6	9
Brown Rice & Vegetables	260	9	550	36	5	9
Brown Rice, Black-Eyed Peas & Veggies	290	11	580	38	8	11
Country Cheddar	400	19	690	41	4	15
Mexican Casserole	470	16	780	70	7	11
Pesto Tortellini	430	19	640	45	3	20
Ravioli	380	12	680	55	4	14
Santa Fe Enchilada	350	11	780	47	9	16
Teriyaki	290	4.5	780	52	4	10
Tortilla Casserole & Black Beans	390	18	780	41	7	17
Light in Sodium - Brown Rice & Veggie	260	9	270	36	5	9
Light in Sodium - Mexican Casserole	370	16	390	48	7	12

Amy's Bowls: Pesto Tortellini

FitSugar — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 14:30:00 -0800

Looking for a quick and healthy meal? Bowls from Amy's Kitchen are a great choice. I loved the Stuffed Pasta Shells and the Country Cheddar Bowl. Both dishes are made mostly with organic ingredients, so when you eat them you can feel good about supporting a company that does good for you and the environment.

I just picked up a new bowl from Amy's Kitchen called Pesto Tortellini. Want to know what I thought? Then read more

Serving Size	1 bowl
Calories	430
Total Fat	19g
Saturated Fat	8g
Cholesterol	40mg
Sodium	640mg
Carbs	45g
Fiber	3g
Sugar	5g
Protein	20g

Unfortunately, this wasn't my favorite dish from Amy's Kitchen. It lacked flavor, and I needed to add a little salt. The pasta did have a satisfying soft and chewy consistency. All in all I'd have to say that this meal was just okay, and definitely not as delicious as other bowls by Amy.

The saturated-fat content is a little high, and if you're trying to watch your carb intake, you won't be too psyched with 45g per serving. I guess that's what you'd expect from a cheesy-pasta dish though. This Pesto Tortellini Bowl is great if you need a quick meal and you're in the mood for some comfort food. It's definitely warm and filling, and perfect for a Winter evening. Although it wasn't my favorite frozen entrée, it would definitely do in a pinch.

DVD Review: Flexxation With Amy Cheryl

FitSugar — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 09:00:00 -0800

Yoga is an infinitely flexible (pun intended) form of exercise and many fitness enthusiasts are capitalizing on this fact and combining yoga with other disciplines like Pilates or strength training. I just tried a new DVD by Amy Cheryl that combines elements of Latin dance grooves, yoga, and strength training with resistance bands, to create what she calls Flexxation ($30). Her motto is "Exxtasy thru Exercise" and she really does want you to have a good time and feel, as in literally touch, your muscles while they are working. Her energy is truly inviting and she cues the dance sections really well so you never feel lost in the moves.

The Flexxation DVD contains two half hour long workouts, one dance ~~mixxed~~ mixed with strength training, and the other Yogaflexx, which combines traditional yoga poses with resistance band work. The DVD also contains a bonus ab workout that works all the abs with no crunches. All and all, I think these workouts would be great for beginners, but for those familiar with strength training and yoga this DVD will move too slowly. The instructions are all very clear, and the workout offers easier variations as well. I love that the DVD comes with a flexxband, aka resistance band, since the band makes the workout more challenging and fun.

You can purchase a copy of the DVD directly from the Flexxation store. Amy Cheryl also teaches group classes at the LA Equinox.

Amy's Kitchen: Black Bean Vegetable Soup

FitSugar — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 13:30:00 -0800

I am a huge fan of foods from Amy's Kitchen. They're made from mostly organic vegetables, and she only uses ingredients that you'd use when cooking. Her frozen bowls and entrées are delicious and easy to make when you need a healthy and filling meal but don't have time to make it yourself, and they're really affordable too. She also makes a whole variety of canned soups. I recently tried the Black Bean Vegetable. Want to know what I thought? Then read more.

This soup tasted okay, but it definitely wasn't my favorite food from Amy's Kitchen. I liked that it wasn't too spicy, and the consistency was smooth except for the crispy kernels of corn. I love eating foods where I can see actual pieces of real veggies, and this soup had pieces of carrots, potatoes, and celery, which was a plus. This soup was just a little too bland and boring and seemed to be missing something.

Serving Size	1 cup (half the can)	2 cups (whole can)
Calories	130	260
Total Fat	1.5g	3g
Saturated Fat	0g	0g
Cholesterol	0mg	0mg
Sodium	430mg	860mg
Carbs	25g	50g
Fiber	5g	10g
Sugar	6g	12g
Protein	6g	12g

The recommended serving size is half a can, but that's definitely not enough for a meal. If you end up eating both servings at once, it's only 260 calories, and you get 10g of fiber and 12g of protein. So it's pretty healthy, but tastewise I prefer Amy's Vegetable Barley Soup.

More From Amy's Kitchen: Organic Vegetable Barley Soup

FitSugar — Tue, 07 Aug 2007 11:00:00 -0700

Amy's Kitchen is one of my favorite brands since many of their products are made with whole organic grains, veggies, and herbs, with NO bizarre fillers you've never heard of. The ingredients in their products are always simple, straightforward, and things you'd use if you had the time and energy to make a meal yourself.

I've already tried (and loved) Amy's frozen entrées - the Vegetable Lasagna and Stuffed Pasta Shells are delicious, low in saturated fat and calories, and very filling. So I decided to venture into Amy's array of canned soups.

I tried the Organic Vegetable Barley Soup and it was surprisingly flavorful. You know how canned soups can be pretty bland or way too salty, right? Well this soup had a delicious onion, garlic and leek-based broth. When I stirred it around, I could see whole pieces of cooked peas, carrots, tomatoes, celery, yellow squash, and barley. This soup has a very soft consistency, which I loved, but some people might like soups with a bit more firmness.

Want to see the nutritional info and what this soup actually looks like? Then read more

As I was sipping my soup, I took a closer look at the nutritional info and was pleased by the low amount of calories, sugar and fat. I was NOT pleased to discover that there were actually 2 servings per can. I did feel full after eating half the can, but seriously, who only eats half a can of soup? I guess if I bring this soup for lunch, I should pack a reusable container along with it to store the other serving.

I should only eat half this can of soup considering 1 serving contains 580mg of sodium! That seems a bit high, when you consider that the RDI of sodium is 2,300 mg a day. If I ate the entire can, I'd be getting 1,160mg of sodium which is more than half the amount I should be getting all day, but it's just in one meal!

Fit's Tips: Canned soups and pre-made meals are often high in sodium, so if you have high blood pressure, be extra vigilant about checking labels and serving sizes.